“One of the biggest challenges in healthcare is everything has to be HIPAA compliant—meaning most new software isn’t eligible for us to use.”

In the U.S., HIPAA sets guidelines for ensuring that personal health information remains secure and private. Adhering to those guidelines creates a challenge for hospitals, because many HIPAA compliant platforms rely on legacy systems and aren’t necessarily the most user friendly.

“A lot of these technologies are developed by engineers who are really intelligent in coming up with logical systems, but they can forget about the user experience,” Marcio says. “Many platforms have everything in a different bin or via a different button. It’s very challenging for physicians to have to remember over 50 different workflows for tasks that they probably only do once a month.”

That’s where Marcio steps in. His role as both a technology trainer and systems analyst means that he works with healthcare providers to ensure systems are effectively optimized and layouts are streamlined—thus enabling providers to focus on the work of saving lives. He does so by helping hospitals navigate the complexity of upgrading legacy systems, introducing doctors and nurses to more simple and efficient workflows, and helping them adapt to new tech tools.

Recently, he introduced a facial nerve specialist to Windows Ink, which she now uses with Surface Studio to mark up images and show information to patients in real time. Marcio frequently works with physicians who are at the top of their field and specialize in treating serious injuries and diseases. “I’m helping the one person who is able to help thousands of people. In that way, it’s very rewarding,” he says.

Originally hailing from the Azores islands of Portugal, Marcio grew up helping friends and neighbors on the small island tap into technology’s potential. At the age of 11, he was already showing people how to use the internet, and he began developing and designing web sites in high school.

“I’ve always found myself giving people ideas for how to use technology, and having lots of suggestions as I use websites and other services. I was probably the annoying little kid who was always like, ‘You guys should do this instead. It would be so much better for the world,’” he laughs. “Having a passion for design, I really respect the designer’s ability to simplify complex ideas into seven or eight buttons that just make sense to the user.”

How does Marcio himself stay current on the latest developments in tech? He relies on an RSS aggregator and exchanges articles with friends—“I’m always reading about what’s coming next.” And, he’s a Windows Insider.

“I joined the Insider program to see the tools before they’re pushed out and to give my input and hopefully make a difference in how the tools get developed or implemented,” Marcio says.

“Because sometimes, the ideas are great but the use cases aren’t. I try to provide examples and give feedback like, ‘Hey, this is a feature that you currently have, but it’s really hard to do X.

With a different approach, this feature could work really well for this goal.’ Then when you see Microsoft implement the feedback you’ve contributed, it’s great. You may not always know if it was your voice or a collection of voices that caused the change, but it’s really nice to be a part of this process.»